Stir in dialogue, greater clarity required if Serbia has withdrawn letter from Brussels

Kosovo and Serbia's chief negotiators in the dialogue are expected to travel on 17 September to Brussels, but it is not known whether there will be a trilateral meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi accused the Serbian side of rejecting the joint meeting after failing to comply with the agenda proposed by the European mediator.

KosovoPress has sent questions to the European Union if there will be a joint meeting at the level of chief negotiators in the dialogue, but the same said that when necessary they will make an announcement.

On the other hand, in the ruling party, Vetevendosje Movement say the EU and separately Emisari Lajcak know there can be no dialogue or negotiation on issues that are not part of Brussels' basic agreement and the Ohrid annex. Even, according to them, official confirmation is needed that Serbia has withdrawn the letter from Brussels, where it is said it does not implement certain provisions of the agreement. Meanwhile, in the Democratic League of Kosovo and the connoisseur of the dialogue process, they voiced sceptical of progress in dialogue under current circumstances, where Kosovo is on the verge of elections.

LVV MP, at the same time head of the parliamentary foreign affairs commission, Arberesh Kryeziu-Hyseni, says of Kosova Press, that the government has made clear to Lajcak in his recent visit to Kosovo that the EU should define with Serbia if they stay behind the Brussels agreement.

“The EU already knows there can be no dialogue or negotiation on issues that are not part of the basic agreement, and much less cannot dialogue on a basic agreement that has been rejected by Serbia itself. We have made very clear Lajcak's last visit to Pristina. They must first define this thing with Serbia. Serbia must withdraw the former prime minister's letter and declare they stand for the basic agreement. The same will agree and sign in order to discuss the possibility of renewed dialogue in the process. Otherwise, whatever tendency to dialogue on this condition is unfavourable and unfair in relation to Kosovo”, she says.

However, Democratic League of Kosovo deputy leader Anton Kuni says of Kosova Prees, that he does not expect progress in dialogue, even though there may be meetings at the level of chief negotiators.

I don't think there's going to be any effective, quality dialogue. More will be used for internal consumption. More will be on the plains of folk patriotism... Even Vuciq this approach will use the more preconditions he can create so that when the final topics between Kosovo and Serbia are really discussed by those mistakes that the government is making Kurti, he can capitalise as much as”, Quinn points out.

On the other hand, analyst Arton Demhaja says it is the least likely to hold meetings in dialogue, whether at the level of the chief negotiators, while Kosovo is on the verge of elections, as well as some clarity if Serbia has withdrawn the letter from Brussels.

I find the meeting pointless, as Kosovo is ahead of regular parliamentary elections scheduled on February 9th. It cannot be expected that a summit or a lower level has unblocked dialogue on the implementation of the agreements that have been reached in Brussels and Ohrid... As long as that letter was officially sent by the government of Serbia in Brussels, where it refuses to implement part of the agreement, then dialogue is meaningless. Serbia is also officially accepting the Brussels and Ohrid Agreement, showing it fails to comply with its commitments. The EU must clarify whether there is withdrawal of the letter sent by Serbia to Brussels”, he says.

Tuesday's meeting on 17 September confirmed Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi the previous day, who said Serbia is refusing a trilate meeting, due to a disagreement with the agenda of the meeting appointed by the EU emissary and trying to impose points on the agenda destined for domestic political consumption.

The European Union's envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Miroslav Lajcak, during his stay in Kosovo last week, said Serbia has withdrawn the letter sent to the EU last year, where it expressed reservations for the Brussels agreement and the Ohrid annex.